Friday, December 7, 2012

MEA President talks about the Freedom to Freeload Bill

Statement from MEA President Steve Cook on deceptive ’Freedom to Freeload’ bill

Posted on 12/06/12 at 7:57pm

EAST LANSING, Mich., Dec. 6, 2012 — Gov.
Rick Snyder and Republican leadership today announced they would push
so-called “right-to-work” bills that include public and private workers
while carving out exemptions for police and firefighters. Swift
legislative action on these bills is already underway. The following
statement can be attributed to Michigan Education Association President
Steve Cook:
“As time is ticking on the lame duck Legislature, extremist
politicians are in a hurry to continue their assault on working families
while exacting political revenge against union members who didn’t
support their bids for reelection. Today’s swift announcement,
introduction and subsequent passage of so-called ‘right-to-work’
legislation is just another political attack on Michigan’s middle class,
and it does nothing to help dig our state out of an economic hole.
“We elected leaders who we thought would work together to create
jobs, steer our economy back to fiscal strength, and restore the
American Dream for the middle class. Instead, Governor Snyder and his
allies in the Legislature are fulfilling their extremist agenda by going
after working families—setting the wrong priorities and making the
wrong choices.
“Let’s be clear. This legislation is not about improving the economy
or creating jobs—this is political payback that puts big corporations
and special-interest CEOs before Michigan’s working families. In states
with so-called ‘right-to-work’ laws, workers make an average of $1,500
less per year, 21 percent more people lack health insurance and
workplace deaths are 51 percent higher than states without the law. On
average, workers in ‘right-to-work’ states have a lower standard of
living, bring home less pay and go without health insurance more
frequently. That hurts small businesses as consumer spending is reduced,
causing a ripple effect that will further hurt Michigan’s economy.
“Worst of all is the utter lies about what this does. No one is
forced to join a union – that’s already illegal. This allows workers to
get out of paying their fair share of what it costs to negotiate the
contract they benefit from. Whether proponents call this
‘right-to-work’ or ‘freedom-to-work’, it’s really just ‘Freedom to
Freeload.’
“This deceptive and divisive concept will not help Michigan’s economy
get back on track. As we have seen in other states like Ohio and
Wisconsin, everyone gets hurt when politicians put their agendas ahead
of the people who elected them. Instead of distractions that silence the
voices of workers, our elected leaders should focus on finding ways to
create more jobs, help struggling families and get our state’s economy
moving again.”